BANCROFT    LIBRARY 


LETTER 
FROM  CHIEF  ENGINEER 


OF  THE 


U.  S.  GEOLOGICAL 
SURVEY 


RELATIVE  TO  THE  IRRIGATION  OF  LANDS  IN 
THE  VICINITY  OF  YUMA  UNDER  THE 
PROVISIONS  OF  THE  RECLAMA- 
TION ACT  OF  JUNE  17, 
1902. 


Bancroft  Library 


YUMA  COUNTY  WATER  USERS' 
ASSOCIATION. 


YUMA,  ARIZONA,  May  3,  1904. 
To  THE  HONORABLE  E.  A.  HITCHCOCK, 
SECRETARY  OF  THE  INTERIOR, 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

As  the  work  of  investigating  the  conditions  along  the  lower  Colorado  River  and 
preparing  plans  for  irrigation  works  has  been  completed  by  the  members  of  the 
United  States  Geological  Survey  detailed  for  that  purpose,  and  as  their  work  has 
been  examined  by  the  final  Board  of  Consulting  Engineers,  and,  as  we  understand,  a 
favorable  report  made  to  your  Department,  therefore,  it  is  deemed  proper  by  the 
Board  of  Governors  of  the  Yuma  County  Water  Users'  Association,  a  body  legally 
organized  under  the  laws  of  the  Territory  of  Arizona  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the 
irrigation  of  lands  in  the  valley  of  the  Colorado  River  in  Yuma  County,  Arizona, 
by  the  Government,  under  the  law  commonly  known  as  the  Reclamation  Act,  to  take 
the  following  action : 

1.  To  submit  to  you  a  certified  copy  of  the  Articles  of  Incorporation  of  the  Yuma 
County  Water  Users'  Association  for  your  inspection. 

2.  To  furnish  you  with  the  names  and  credentials  of  the  President,  Secretary  and 
Board  of  Governors  of  the  Association. 

3.  To  convey  to  you  the  earnest  desire  and  request  of  this  Association,  by  its 
Board  of  Governors,  for  the  construction  of  irrigation  works  on  the  lower  Colorado 
River,  and  to  pray  you  to  furnish  to  the  people  of  this  section,  through  this  Associa- 
tion, a  statement  of  the  character  and  cost  of  the  said  proposed  irrigation  works, 
with  instructions  as  to  how  we  shall  proceed  in  order  to  do  our  part  in  securing  the 
construction  of  the  same. 

4.  To  assure  you,  by  a  petition  numerously  signed,  and  by  other  means,  of  the 
almost  unanimous  desire  of  the  people  here  for  the  construction  of  irrigation  works 
as  planned. 

Therefore,  in  accordance  with  the  foregoing  action  of  the  Board  of  Governors,  I 
have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  a  certified  copy  of  the  Articles  of  Incorporation 
of  the  Yuma  County  Water  Users'  Association  ;  the  attested  credentials  of  its  officers ; 
a  petition  signed  by  the  members  of  the  Board  of  Governors,  praying  for  the  con- 
struction of  irrigation  works  on  the  lower  Colorado  by  the  Government,  and  for  in- 
formation and  instruction  for  the  guidance  of  said  Board ;  a  petition  of  like  nature, 
signed  by  a  large  number  of  the  leading  farmers  and  land  owners  of  this  section ;  a 
resolution  passed  by  the  City  Council  of  the  town  of  Yuma,  and  one  by  the  Yuma 
Board  of  Trade,  which  is  composed  of  over  200  members,  many  of  them  farmers. 

All  of  which  is  most  respectfully  submitted. 

[Signed]  M.   WINSOR, 

f— "^  President. 


DEPARTMENT  OF  THE   INTERIOR 

UNITED  STATES  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 


HYDROGRAPHIC   BRANCH 


WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,   MAY  16,  1904. 
YUMA  COUNTY  WATER  USERS'  ASSOCIATION, 
M.  WINSOR,  PRESIDENT, 

YUMA,  ARIZONA. 
Gentlemen : 

Your  communication  of  May  3d,  1904,  accompanied  by  petition  under  same  date, 
and  also  certification  of  officers  of  the  Yuma  County  Water  Users'  Association,  is 
hereby  acknowledged.  The  Chief  Engineer  of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey 
will  meet  your  officials  at  Yuma,  May  27th  next,  to  confer  with  them  concerning  such 
matters  as  you  may  present  relative  to  your  organization. 

In  reply  to  your  request  for  information  as  to  cost  and  character  of  works  pro- 
jected for  your  locality,  the  following  general  statement  is  presented.  The  Secretary 
reserves  the  right  to  make  such  revisions  in  the  plans  and  estimates  as  further 
investigations  and  circumstances  may  dictate  to  be  requisite  for  the  public  welfare. 

During  the  winter  season  of  1903-4  the  Reclamation  Service  made  surveys  for  the 
irrigation  of  the  vallev  lands  of  Colorado  and  Gila  Rivers  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
Yuma,  Arizona,  and  in  the  Yuma  Indian  Reservation  in  California,  looking  towards 
the  utilization  of  the  Colorado  River  for  their  water  supply.  These  surveys  included 
the  making  of  a  topographic  map,  on  the  scale  of  100  feet  to  the  inch,  at  the  Laguna 
Dam  Site,  and  soundings  for  bedrock  and  foundations  at  that  point.  On  the  California 
side  of  the  river,  along  the  route  to  be  occupied  by  a  possible  canal,  a  map  has  been 
made  on  the  scale  of  100  feet  to  the  inch,  with  a  small  contour  interval.  On  the 
Arizona  side  of  the  river  a  map  has  been  made,  on  the  scale  of  100  feet  to  the  inch, 
from  the  Laguna  Dam  Site  to  Yuma  along  the  canal  line,  and  in  addition  a  number  of 
angle  line  surveys  have  been  run  for  the  exact  determination  of  the  location  for  the 
canal.  Below  Yuma,  transit  surveys  have  been  made  for  the  location  of  the  canal. 
At  the  crossing  of  the  Gila  River  a  map  has  been  drawn  on  a  scale  of  100  feet  to  the 
inch,  and  soundings  made  for  bedrock.  Preliminary  location  surveys  have  been  made 
for  a  complete  set  of  levees  from  the  Laguna  Dam  Site  to  the  Mexican  line,  on  both 
sides  of  the  Colorado  River,  and  also  on  each  side  of  the  Gila  River. 

A  drainage  system  has  been  projected  upon  the  topographic  maps  which  have  been 
made  of  the  entire  district  to  an  elevation  of  150  feet  above  river  level,  and  to  the 
scale  of  2  inches  to  the  mile.  Surveys  have  been  made  to  base  estimates  upon  for 
pumping  plants  for  irrigation  and  drainage.  Mr.  H.  A.  Storrs,  Consulting  Electrical 
and  Mechanical  Engineer,  has  examined  the  ground  and  made  plans  and  estimates 
therefor. 

A  Board  of  six  Consulting  Engineers  has  been  through  the  estimates  of  the 
Engineers  in  charge  in  detail,  and  the  report  which  is  submitted  is  the  result  of  the 
deliberations  and  best  judgment  of  all  these  men,  and  all  estimates  and  plans  have 
been  brought  to  the  complete  satisfaction  of  each  person. 


AREAS. 

In  the  Yuma  Indian  Reservation  on  the  California  side  of  the  river  it  is  estimated 
that  there  will  be  within  the  levees  16,000  acres,  and  on  the  Arizona  side  it  is  estimated 
there  will  be  91,000  acres  under  the  system,  making  a  total  of  107,000  acres.  Of  this 
area,  it  is  estimated  that  5,000  acres  next  to  the  Mexican  line  in  Arizona  will  be  sub- 
ject to  overflow  in  such  a  way  as  to  temporarily  exclude  them  from  the  irrigable  areas, 
and  in  addition  a  small  percentage  of  the  remaining  lands  are  known  to  be  in  sand 
dunes  that  will  be  above  the  level  of  the  canal  lines.  In  all  it  is  estimated  that  on  both 
sides  of  the  river  there  will  be  a  total  of  86,700  acres  of  irrigable  land,  of  which  73,100 
acres  are  in  Arizona.  The  water  supply  of  the  Colorado  River  is  adequate  for  the 
irrigation  of  this  area. 

HEAD  WORKS. 

A  number  of  different  designs  for  the  diversion  weir  have  been  estimated  upon  in 
the  study  for  the  most  economical  type  that  may  be  built  in  safety  at  this  point. 
Several  different  locations  have  also  been  examined  to  determine  the  best  place  for 
this  structure,  bedrock  having  been  explored  for  with  diamond  core  drilling  machinery 
at  all  possible  dam  sites  between  Yuma  and  Picacho.  As  a  result  of  these  explorations 
the  Laguna  weir  site  has  been  selected  as  the  most  desirable  one  for  the  construction 
of  a  weir  to  serve  the  lands  near  Yuma,  a  high  dam  and  high  line  canal  being  consid- 
ered impossible.  The  type  of  weir  selected  is  one  that  has  been  tried  during  the  last 
50  years  at  numerous  places  in  India  and  Egypt  under  similar  conditions,  3  dams 
having  been  constructed  on  the  Nile  River  within  the  past  15  years,  on  practically  this 
same  plan,  all  having  served  their  purpose  efficiently  and  being  in  operation  today. 
This  type  of  weir  consists  of  a  loose  rock  structure  with  a  paving  of  stones  1%  feet 
in  thickness  on  the  down-stream  slope,  the  structure  being  tied  together  with  three 
parallel  walls  of  steel  and  concrete  run  longitudinally  between  the  granite  abutments 
on  the  two  sides  of  the  river,  and  the  entire  structure  being  further  made  secure  by  an 
apron  of  loose  rock  pitching  10'  in  thickness  and  50'  in  width  at  the  lower  toe  of  the 
dam  below  the  sloping  pavement.  The  height  of  this  weir  is  to  be  10'  above  low 
water  and  the  slope  of  the  downstream  side  is  12'  horizontal  to  1'  vertical,  with  the 
50'  apron  below.  The  design  calls  for  the  upper  core  wall  of  concrete  to  rest  upon  a 
row  of  sheet  piling  driven  into  the  bed  of  the  river. 

The  handling  of  the  silt  of  the  Colorado  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  features  of  this 
undertaking.  It  is  known  that  its  amount  is  very  large.  The  river  is  on  a  grade  of 
approximately  one  foot  to  the  mile  above  the  Laguna  weir  site,  so  that  this  weir  10' 
high  will  make  a  settling  basin  of  relatively  quiet  water  approximately  10  miles  in 
length  above  it.  At  each  end  of  the  weir  and  constructed  in  solid  granite  rock,  will 
be  a  sluice  way  200  feet  wide  and  excavated  to  the  depth  of  low  water  in  the  river. 
These  sluice  ways  will  be  closed  by  large  gates  opera  ted  by  hydraulic  machinerv.  The 
diversion  canals  will  take  their  water  above  these  gates  from  the  sides  of  the  sluice 
ways.  The  area  of  these  sluice  ways  being  so  great,  the  water  movement  toward  the 
canal  will  be  slow,  and  most  of  the  sediment  will  be  deposited  before  reaching  the 
canal  intake.  When  this  has  accumulated  to  a  considerable.extent,  the  sluice  gates 
will  be  opened,  and  it  is  estimated  that  their  capacity  will  be  approximately  20,000 
cubic  feet  per  second  each.  This  great  volume  of  water  passing  through  the  sluice 
ways,  when  the  gates  are  opened,  will  carry  out  with  it  the  sediment  deposited  above 
the  intake  of  the  canal.  The  ordinary  low  stage  flow  of  the  Colorado  River  is  from 


3,500  to  4,000  cubic  feet  per  second,  so  the  capacity  of  each  of  these  sluice  wa3rs  will 
be  about  five  times  the  low  water  flow  of  the  river.  These  figures  are  given  for  pur- 
poses of  comparison  only.  As  the  result  of  a  number  of  experiments,  it  has  been  found 
that  the  principal  quantity  of  silt  is  carried  along  near  the  bottom  of  the  river,  and 
that  the  surface  water  is  relatively  free  from  sediment.  It  is  planned,  therefore,  to  take 
the  water  into  the  canals  by  a  skimming  process  over  a  long  row  of  flashboards,  so 
that  the  entire  capacity  of  the  canal  can  be  furnished  by  drawing  but  one  foot  in  depth 
of  water  from  the  surface  of  the  river.  As  a  still  further  precaution,  it  is  proposed  to 
construct  the  first  3,000  feet  of  canal  on  each  side  of  the  river  of  such  size  that  the 
movement  of  water  through  it  will  be  slower  than  one  foot  per  second.  Thesesettling 
basins,  as  the3r  are  called,  would  be  either  excavated  from  granite,  or  where  the  sec- 
tion is  in  earth  they  would  be  paved.  At  the  lower  end  of  these  settling  basins,  gates 
will  be  arranged  to  discharge  into  the  river,  so  that  the  water  can  be  drawn  down  to 
the  level  of  the  stream,  and  a  grade  of  11  feet  in  3,000  feet  thus  obtained.  At  the 
lower  end  of  these  settling  basins  the  canals  proper  will  begin.  The  silt  that  will 
enter  the  settling  basins  in  spite  of  the  two  precautions  noted  above,  will  be  permitted 
to  settle  in  these  basins,  and  at  such  intervals  of  time  as  may  be  necessary  the  sluice 
gates  at  the  end  of  the  settling  basin  will  be  opened  and  sufficient  water  drawn 
into  this  section  through  the  headworks  to  scour  it  out.  Every  portion  of  this 
weir  and  headworks  as  designed  would  be  of  rock,  concrete  or  steel,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  sheet  piling,  which  will  be  driven  entirely  below  the  water  level,  and  so 
will  not  decay.  Every  portion  of  the  weir  will  be  what  is  known  as  permanent  con- 
struction. Such  character  of  work  will,  of  course,  be  expensive,  but  it  has  been  proved 
to  be  sound  economy  to  build  in  this  way. 

The  capacity  of  these  canals  at  their  intakes  will  be  1,200  cubic  feet  per  second  on 
the  Arizona  side,  and  200  cubic  feet  per  second  on  the  California  side.  The  amount 
of  silt  that  would  be  daily  delivered  into  the  Arizona  canal,  if  diversions  were  not 
made  directlv  from  the  stream,  would  approximate  17,000  cubic  yards  of  wet  mud 
by  volume.  It  is  not  believed  to  be  possible  for  a  canal  to  continuously  operate  suc- 
cessfully for  the  irrigation  of  lands  along  the  valleys  of  the  Colorado  River,  unless 
some  very  substantial  arrangements  are  made  at  the  headworks  for  the  handling  of 
silt,  and  this  is  believed  to  be  a  justification  for  the  expenditure  proposed  for  these 
headworks;  also  the  water  must  be  held  to  a  fixed  level  at  the  canal  heading  for  all 
stages  of  the  river.  This  structure  will  cost  approximately  $1,000,000. 

CANALS. 

Careful  study  has  been  made  of  the  existing  canals  in  the  vicinity  of  Yuma  and 
Imperial  to  determine  the  shape  that  they  naturally  assume,  and  the  roughness  of  the 
bottom  and  sides,  which  tends  to  retard  the  velocity.  Based  upon  this  data,  the 
canals  have  been  designed  so  they  will  carry  water  at  a  higher  velocity  through- 
out than  will  be  found  in  the  settling  basins  above  their  head,  and  of  such  velocity  as 
will  permit  of  a  minimum  loss  by  seepage  and  evaporation.  The  gates  and  drops  of 
these  canals,  and  the  Yuma  bridges  are  designed  as  steel  concrete  structures.  A  dis- 
tribution system  has  been  estimated  upon  to  furnish  water  to  each  160-acre  tract. 
There  will  be  small  areas  of  land  in  the  upper  Gila  Yalle3',  and  below  Yuma  that  will 
have  to  be  served  by  pumping  plants  that  will  lift  the  water  from  5  to  7  feet.  The 
power  for  doing  this  will  be  furnished  from  a  water  power  plant  to  be  erected  above 
Yuma  at  a  drop  in  the  main  canal.  This  power  plant  will  also  be  used  in  connection 
with  the  drainage  system. 


GILA  CROSSING. 

One  of  the  most  difficult  problems  in  connection  with  this  project  is  the  crossing  of 
the  Gila  River.  It  has  been  considered  necessary  to  make  this  perfectly  safe,  and  for 
this  purpose  a  structure  has  been  designed  that  will  cross  beneath  the  bed  of  the  river, 
the  top  to  be  several  feet  below  the  lowest  point  of  the  stream  bed.  This  structure 
will  be  of  steel  and  concrete,  some  3,300  feet  in  length. 

LEVEES. 

Because  of  the  annual  rise  of  the  Colorado  River,  a  large  portion  of  the  lands  along 
this  stream  are  subject  to  annual  overflow  which  practically  prevents  residence  there- 
on, as  well  as  the  farming  of  them  without  protective  works.  The  levee,  therefore,  is 
considered  an  essential  feature  of  the  enterprise.  The  shape  of  levee  adopted  is  one 
that  has  been  developed  by  years  of  experience  along  the  Mississippi  River.  It  will 
have  a  slope  of  3  feet  horizontal  for  1  foot  vertical  on  the  water  side,  and  2V&  feet  hor- 
izontal to  1  foot  vertical  on  the  land  side;  it  will  be  8  feet  wide  on  top,  and  be  built  5 
feet  above  the  highest  water-marks  of  the  year  1903.  These  levees  will  be  4,000  feet 
apart  (one  on  each  side)  along  the  Colorado  River,  and  3,200  feet  apart  along  the 
Gila  River. 

DRAINAGE  SYSTEMS. 

Because  these  lands  are  so  flat,  and  the  level  of  the  water  in  the  ground  so  near 
the  surface,  it  is  considered  necessary,  for  their  permanent  safe  irrigation,  to  supply  a 
drainage  system.  A  main  drainage  canal  has  been  designed  to  run  through  thecentral 
portion  of  the  areas  to  be  irrigated,  and  when  possible  the  natural  drainage  lines  of 
the  country  will  be  utilized,  deepening  them  with  a  steam  dredger  to  such  depth  that 
they  will  carrv  off  the  water  returning  from  irrigation  or  seeping  through  the  levees 
during  the  high-water  stage  of  the  river. 

When  lands  in  any  district  tend  to  become  alkaline  they  may  be  connected,  by 
means  of  local  drainage  canals,  with  this  main  drain,  and  in  this  manner  they  could 
be  kept  free  from  alkali  by  holding  down  the  level  of  the  ground  water.  During  the 
greater  portion  of  the  year  when  the  river  is  low,  this  drainage  water  would  be  dis- 
charged into  the  stream,  but  when  the  river  is  in  flood  its  elevation  will  be  such  as  to 
prevent  a  discharge  into  it  from  the  drains.  A  pumping  plant  has  therefore  been  de- 
signed to  lift  the  drainage  waters  over  the  levees  during  the  flood  period  of  the  river 
to  prevent  the  lands  becoming  water-logged. 

SUMMARY. 

The  whole  system,  as  planned  above,  is  one  looking  to  the  permanent  reclamation 
of  this  district  by  means  of  irrigation,  levee  and  drainage  works.  All  portions  of  the 
system  to  be  made  of  steel,  concrete  or  earthwork. 

The  reports  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  on  the  character  of  the  soils  of  this 
valley,  as  well  as  past  farming  experience,  indicate  that  they  are  exceedingly  fertile. 
The  silt  of  the  Colorado  River,  all  of  which  cannot  be  removed  at  the  headworks,  has 
high  fertilizing  properties.  Under  these  conditions  and  with  proper  handling  of  the 
system,  the  valley  should  be  perpetually  fertile.  The  entire  cost  of  this  enterprise,  pro- 
viding all  the  area  is  irrigated  which  is  indicated  above,  will  amount,  according  to  the 
estimate,  to  about  $35.00  per  acre  irrigated.  It  is  entirely  possible,  however,  that  as 


this  construction  work  proceeds  this  cost  may  be  somewhat  increased  or  lessened,  al- 
though an  effort  has  been  made  to  cover  all  contingencies,  and  the  estimates  of  cost 
have  been  liberal.  The  price  will  range  near  $35.00  per  acre,  this  to  be  paid  for  accord- 
ing to  the  provisions  of  the  Reclamation  Act  and  regulations  of  the  Secretary  of  the 
Interior,  in  ten  annual  installments  after  the  first  delivery  of  water.  The  annual 
charge  for  maintenance  and  supervision  of  this  system  will  be  very  low  and  probabh' 
materially  less  than  $1.00  per  acre.  There  will  be  no  charge  for  interest,  profit  or 
taxes. 

In  order  to  keep  the  price  as  low  as  that  estimated  upon  and  to  proceed  with  the 
construction  of  the  works,  it  will  be  necessary  for  all  of  the  land  owners  of  the  portion 
of  the  district  that  is  in  Arizona,  under  the  projected  canal,  to  enter  into  an  agreement 
with  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  through  their  local  Water  Users'  Association  for 
the  payment  of  the  water  when  it  is  delivered  to  them.  The  Reclamation  Service  has 
made  the  surveys  and  estimates  required  for  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  concerning 
the  costs  and  character  of  these  works,  but  it  will  be  absolutely  necessary  for  the  local 
land  owners  to  submit  to  the  Secretary,  through  their  local  associations,  the  contracts 
for  the  acceptance  of  the  water;  and  also  to  provide  for  the  rights  of  way  required  for 
the  levee,  power  plants,  transmission  lines,  etc.  When  these  contracts  and  agree- 
ments have  been  prepared  they  will  be  given  careful  consideration  by  the  Department. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Interior  has  set  aside  $3,000,000  of  the  Reclamation  fund  for 
the  construction  of  this  project,  contingent  upon  the  action  of  the  land  owners  of  this 
valley  and  their  entering  into  contracts  with  the  Department  in  accordance  with  the 
provision  of  the  Reclamation  Act  passed  June  17,  1902,  as  indicated  by  the  following 
letter : 

THE  DIRECTOR  OF  THE  MAY  10,  1904. 

GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 
Sir: 

In  a  letter  of  the  9th  inst.  to  the  Department  you  referred  to  the  Act  of  April  21, 
1904, — Public,  No.  125 — which  has  authorized  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  "to  divert 
the  waters  of  the  Colorado  River  and  to  reclaim,  utilize  and  dispose  of  any  lands  in 
said  reservations, "  etc.,  and  have  referred  to  the  surveys  which  have  already  been 
carried  on  under  the  Act  of  June  17,1902 — 32Stat.388 — and  to  the  reports  submitted 
by  the  engineers. 

It  appears  that  under  the  Yuma  project  and  by  means  of  a  dam  across  the  Colo- 
rado River  and  other  works,  upwards  of  85,000  acres  of  land  can  be  reclaimed  at  a 
cost  of  less  than  $40  per  acre. 

You  have  stated  that  much  of  this  land,  outside  of  the  Indian  Reservation,  is  in 
private  ownership,  and  that  the  feasibility  of  the  project  will  depend  largely  on  the 
owners  of  the  land  uniting  in  a  satisfactory  form  of  organization  under  the  terms  and 
conditions  of  the  reclamation  law. 

Your  recommendation  is  that  the  sum  of  $3,000,000  be  set  aside  from  the  recla- 
mation fund  for  the  construction  of  the  Yuma  project,  subject  to  the  satisfactory  ad- 
justment of  the  various  matters  pertaining  to  land  and  water  titles  and  to  structural 
features. 

Incompliance  with  your  recommendation,  I  hereby  set  aside  the  sum  of  $3,000,000, 
or  so  much  thereof  as  may  be  necessary,  from  the  fund  provided  by  the  Act  mentioned, 
for  the  construction  of  the  Yuma  project,  under  the  conditions  you  have  set  forth. 

Yours  respectfully, 
[Signed]  E.  A.  HITCHCOCK, 

Secretary. 

F.  H.  NEWELL,  Chief  Engineer. 


U.S.  RECLAMATION    SERVICE. 

LOWER  COLORADO  RIVER. 

MAP  SHOWING  LOCATION  OF 

IRRIGABLE  LANDS,  PROPOSED  DAMS, 
CANALS,  LEVEES  a  PUMPING  PLANTS. 


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